Bodmin

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Bodmin is the former county town of Cornwall, and the only Cornish town to be recorded in the Domesday Book. The name Bodmin comes from Bodminachau, meaning 'home of the monks'. The oldest part of the town is built around Bodmin Beacon, an obelisk created in memory of Sir Walter Raleigh Gilbert. Sir Walter was a local dignitary and descendant of the Elizabethan sailors Raleigh and Gilbert. The obelisk was erected in 1856 to commemorate his service in India. St Petroc's Church, originally a Norman construction, was almost entirely rebuilt in the fifteenth century. St Petroc's is Cornwall's largest church. There are many things to see and do in and around Bodmin, including Bodmin and Wenford Railway, Bodmin Jail, Lanhydrock House and Gardens, Pencarrow House and Jamaica Inn. At Jamaica Inn, there is a small museum dedicated to Daphne du Maurier. The county jail at Bodmin, built for King George II in 1778 and closed in 1927, is now a museum and is open to the public daily. There were 55 hangings at the jail during its time, and this was in fact the site of the last ever public hanging in Britain. The old jail is said to be extremely haunted and there are even ghost tours on offer for those brave enough! Bodmin Moor is one of the largest unspoilt areas in the Southwest, and offers some spectacular walks and views. Bodmin Moor was first farmed over 4000 years ago by Bronze Age settlers, and to this day, there are archaeological remains from this time, including the Hurlers - three large stone circles in a line. It is said that Dozmary Pool on the moor is the final resting place of Excalibur, King Arthur's magical sword.